𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞 || jj 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

009

RAFE JUST FUCKING SHOT SHERIFF Peterkin. I have no idea what to do. I'm frozen in place, my eyes wide as I watch Rafe hover over Peterkin's wounded body.

The sound of Peterkin gargling in agony makes me rush over to her. I kneel down, my shaky hands hovering over her shaking body, careful not to accidentally hurt her any further. There's so much pain and panic in her eyes, and I wish that I could re-wind time and stop Rafe from doing what he just did.

I gave him back the gun— the gun he used to kill Sheriff Peterkin.

"Where is it?" I panic, staring into Peterkin's eyes. A part of me hopes that Peterkin got wounded in the leg,— something that she could likely survive— but by the way she collapsed, I'm sure she was shot in a place far more serious.

Slowly, my eyes divert to her chest, which has blood seeping out of it. A whimper leaves my throat and I have to blink back my tears. I don't want to scare Peterkin, because I'm sure she's scared enough. She was just shot near the heart for fuck's sake.

John B kneels alongside me, tearing off his bandana. He presses the fabric down onto Peterkin's wound, and she lets out a pained groan, the pressure obviously not feeling nice.

"You're okay." I nod, gulping down my fear and denial. "You're—"

"Call!" Peterkin's voice causes me to clamp my mouth shut. "Call for help!" She gasps out, her eyes wide as she tries to lean forward.

"No!" Sarah sobs as she bends into herself, her eyes glued to me and John B as we desperately try to help the Sheriff. "No!"

My shaky hands move to Peterkin's walkie talkie, and I begin fumbling with it, not being familiar with how to work with the damn thing. The buttons all look the same and my jerking hands aren't helping matters.

Rafe takes a step towards me, raising his gun once more at the sight of me trying to call for help. "Hey!" He booms, his voice ripping through the warm, summer air with such an extreme volume that I physically flinch.

I slowly look up at Rafe, shooting daggers at him. A cold and eerie wave overtakes my chest and my bottom lip begins to quiver— this must've been how Rafe felt when I tried to kill him. Whatever the hell that makes me, I know for a fact that it isn't a positive word.

"Rafe, no!" Ward screams, lunging for his son and desperately trying to swat the gun's barrel away from my direction. I know that Ward isn't doing it for me, but instead for him and his son's image. "Rafe!"

Rafe's jaw is tight as he glares down at me. He takes a step forward, his hand shaking as it holds the gun, just as mine did yesterday. "Don't try it, Marley." There's a hint of hesitation and reluctance in his eyes as they cloud with big tears.

I freeze, my hands beginning to shake even more than before. I feel so conflicted— hating Rafe for what he's done to me but also feeling guilt and shame overtake me for what I tried to do to him. I know that Rafe's a monster, and his actions against Peterkin has shown nothing but that, but a part of me feels as if I'm no better than him. I did try to kill him, the gun just didn't go off, so that has to make me just as bad.

Ward kneels down, placing a hand onto my shoulder as he holds his other hand out. "Marley, give me the radio." He sternly speaks, an expectant gleam in his eyes.

"No." My bottom lip trembles as I shake my head, tears clouding my vision as my emotions consume every fiber in my body. The thought of being no better than Rafe makes me want to break down and never face anyone ever again. "No." I repeat, a tear slipping down my cheek as I slowly look over at Peterkin, who's writhing in pain and discomfort.